Radiators not heating up, boat filled with smoke, batteries not charging

[booke23]

On a beta panel, the green light is just an ignition on light. It's on all the time the key is in the on position. 

 

The lights I've circled below are the charge lights....they should be red. Check they come on when the ignition is turned on and go out when the engine is running. 

 

[Mike Tee]

When you turn the engine ignition on , is the light green before you start it? Normally this would then go out after starting which indicates the alternator is working correctly.

eta - more clearly described by booke23!

Edited November 29, 2023 by Mike Tee

[newbienarrowboatowner]

1 minute ago, booke23 said:

On a beta panel, the green light is just an ignition on light. It's on all the time the key is in the on position. 

 

The lights I've circled below are the charge lights....they should be red. Check they come on when the ignition is turned on and go out when the engine is running. 

 

... woops! Yes this green light is on when the engine is running.

 

The two you've circled do light up when ignition is turned on, and turn off when the engine is running.

[MtB]

Just now, newbienarrowboatowner said:

... woops! Yes this green light is on when the engine is running.

 

The two you've circled do light up when ignition is turned on, and turn off when the engine is running.

 

Did you get a manual for the engine when you bought the boat? 

 

If yes, that will tell you what lights should show and when. If not, someone here will have one and pipe up sooner or later! 

 

 

[booke23]

47 minutes ago, newbienarrowboatowner said:

... woops! Yes this green light is on when the engine is running.

 

The two you've circled do light up when ignition is turned on, and turn off when the engine is running.

 

That's good. Indicates the alternators are working......as well as the voltmeter on the panel indicating 17 volts. On the face of it that's very high, but you'd need to confirm the voltage at the batteries with a multimeter as that panel voltmeter can't be trusted.  

Edited November 29, 2023 by booke23

[Tony Brooks]

3 minutes ago, booke23 said:

That's good. Indicates the alternators are working......as well as the voltmeter on the panel indicating 17 volts. On the face of it that is a tad high, but you'd need to confirm the voltage at the batteries with a multimeter as that panel voltmeter can't be trusted.  

 

If that 17V is true there is something wrong, and at that charging voltage the batteries may be ruined.

[Alan de Enfield]

17 Volts on the voltmeter is somewhere in the territory of "Houston we have a big problem!

 

Edit to add - you are the second poster this week who has 17 volts showing when charging.

Edited November 29, 2023 by Alan de Enfield

[jonathanA]

22 minutes ago, newbienarrowboatowner said:

When the volt meter is switched to 'domestic' and the engine is running, the number is now around 14V.

thank you, 

 

I agree with Booke23 - looks like the alternators are both working. I would try the stove with the engine running in case it was a flat battery issue and also check any fuses in case its a blown fuse stopping the pump working (if its still not working) Could any of the switches that are 'off' be the reason the pump isn't running  ?

 

2 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

If that 17V is true there is something wrong, and at that charging voltage the batteries may be ruined.

i'm assuming thats the start battery voltage - would be interesting to know what the other voltmeter shows when switched to 'engine battery'.  really needs a proper multimeter/voltmeter on the battery to be sure. but as there doesn't seem to be a problem starting, getting some heating is probably the more urgent issue 

[newbienarrowboatowner]

1 minute ago, jonathanA said:

thank you, 

 

I agree with Booke23 - looks like the alternators are both working. I would try the stove with the engine running in case it was a flat battery issue and also check any fuses in case its a blown fuse stopping the pump working (if its still not working) Could any of the switches that are 'off' be the reason the pump isn't running  ?

 

i'm assuming thats the start battery voltage - would be interesting to know what the other voltmeter shows when switched to 'engine battery'.  really needs a proper multimeter/voltmeter on the battery to be sure. but as there doesn't seem to be a problem starting, getting some heating is probably the more urgent issue 

I don't think any of the relevant switches are off, but we're also having trouble with the bilge pump so now we're wondering whether it could all be connected to the battery?

 

The heating is definitely our most urgent issue, it may be another night crowded around the stove! We're leaving the engine to run for a few more hours and we've switched the energy source from inverter to generator as we were told that has a higher capacity. Is that right?

[Tony Brooks]

7 minutes ago, jonathanA said:

i'm assuming thats the start battery voltage - would be interesting to know what the other voltmeter shows when switched to 'engine battery'.  really needs a proper multimeter/voltmeter on the battery to be sure. but as there doesn't seem to be a problem starting, getting some heating is probably the more urgent issue 

 

I can't see a change over switch for the voltmeter, so do you mean alter the wiring to show domestic battery voltage. However, I agree, we need to know the off and on charge voltages for both banks to tell very much.

 

If the OP does not have one,  think it is time to buy a muti-meter and know how to use it.

Edited November 29, 2023 by Tony Brooks

[ditchcrawler]

6 minutes ago, newbienarrowboatowner said:

  and we've switched the energy source from inverter to generator as we were told that has a higher capacity. Is that right?

What 240 volt equipment do you have running?

[newbienarrowboatowner]

9 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

What 240 volt equipment do you have running?

A lamp, and our wifi router is all that's been on today. Everything else is 12 volt!

[jonathanA]

1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

I can't see a change over switch for the voltmeter, so do you mean alter the wiring to show domestic battery voltage. However, I agree, we need to know the off and on charge voltages

There seems to be a changeover switch for the voltmeter on the domestic switch panel, which whilst not ideal would give another indication. 

 

1 hour ago, newbienarrowboatowner said:

 

The heating is definitely our most urgent issue, it may be another night crowded around the stove! We're leaving the engine to run for a few more hours and we've switched the energy source from inverter to generator as we were told that has a higher capacity. Is that right?

unlikely to be unless you have a generator either on board or on the bank.  Do you have mains electricity available wherever you are moored? If so, are you or can you plug into it? If you don't have a generator running and aren't plugged into a shore mains supply then you need the inverter to supply 240v. That's potentially a source of the battery issue you have if the inverter is running 24x7 and maybe powering something power hungry. The inverter is converting your 12v battery to 240v "mains" 

[Tony Brooks]

19 minutes ago, jonathanA said:

There seems to be a changeover switch for the voltmeter on the domestic switch panel, which whilst not ideal would give another indication.

 

Agreed, now I have found the photo that sows it. So they have two voltmeters, that allows the one on the domestic panel to be used to be compared with the one on the engine panel AND decide which bank the one on the engine instrument panel is measuring. That is a good first learning step.

[LEO]

Err. have you checked your batteries for distilled water level, making sure the  plates are covered and able to accept charge?..............if not top them up, do this carefully as the liquid is acidic and any splashes cause problems.........

[canals are us?]

Does your oil stove have a pipe thermostat connected to any of the pipes near the stove? Normally 3 inches by 1.5 with dial and numbers. May of got knocked off the pipes or faulty. Or just on/off switch to control power to the pump.

 

With a pipe stat the pump will start automatically and increase boiler life.

 

James.

 

 

 

 

[Graham Davis]

I note the OP has been asked several times where they are but has failed to respond to that request.
I am sure if they did so there might be a member who who could help them or atleast point them in the direction of somone who can.

[booke23]

1 hour ago, Graham Davis said:

I note the OP has been asked several times where they are but has failed to respond to that request.

 

They did......

 

On 29/11/2023 at 17:33, newbienarrowboatowner said:

Thank you for this! We're going to try and find one around Long Buckby, which is where we're currently close to.